Chapter 59
Chapter 59
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Karma Call Center
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The smartphone's battery drained rapidly in an instant.
It had been at 96% just moments ago, but 26% had vanished in the blink of an eye.
'Keeping Sarang-i's AI running already guzzles power, but using its functions drains it even faster.'
As the hacking kicked off, information on the entity appeared on the smartphone screen.
Thank you so much for purchasing our product! As per your order specifications, we've incorporated features for eternally punishing sinners, using them as fuel to power the train, and an automatic navigation system that tracks and travels to designated sinners for punishment!
The displayed info was the manual that came with purchase.
We've installed an eternally burning karmic fire within. Sourced directly from Avici Hell, this flame cleanly incinerates the sinners' flesh and souls, while simultaneously regenerating them for swift recovery. This ensures eternal torment.
Collects sinners' screams, converting pain energy into thermal fuel for remote supply to the train. Energy generation formula: Scream decibels (objective pain intensity ∑ soul size).
An AI installed in hyperspace automatically operates the train. Tracks sinners matching set conditions and summons only them aboard. Note: Without conditions set, it randomly abducts people—please be mindful.
Includes auto-repair upon destruction, applicable not just to the furnace but to the physically connected train as well.
Protected against energies below 2.092×10^17 J.
Accidentally mistaken a good person for a sinner and threw them in? No way to get them out now? Use the sinner restoration function! Fully restores their body and erases all memories from inside the train, returning them to their original boarding location. (Caution! Operates on furnace-generated energy, consuming pain energy. If insufficient, it self-disassembles the furnace to compensate—please note.)
"Quite the detailed manual."
It also explained the tech involved and its history, but none of that mattered, so he skipped it.
"Hacking complete. Halting fuel supply and train operation."
"Sarang, hold on a sec. Before that, I want to use the sinner restoration function."
"Understood. Activating sinner restoration function."
With Sarang-i's voice, the screams from inside the furnace began to fade.
'People are vanishing.'
Peering inside, the tormented folks were disappearing one by one. Not turning to dust like the pig-headed judge or the greedy ones, but regenerating in a brilliant light before vanishing.
'Good.'
The relieved, serene expressions on their faces as they faded confirmed the device worked properly.
"Oh."
But apparently low on energy, the furnace jolted and began shrinking.
'Please, just a bit more.'
The last person vanished from the furnace. Its size had halved from before, but he'd successfully extracted everyone.
"Good."
"But you're not so lucky."
"!?"
Whirling at the sudden voice, the engineer was glaring at him.
"You've ruined everything."
Its head shrouded in black shadow hid its eyes, but he could somehow feel the glare.
"Freeing sinners— that's the gravest sin, one that can't be atoned even after eons cycling through the universe's rounds."
"It's only been like 20 minutes, but you got here quick."
"There's one way to settle this: I'll shred your soul and body into gae, fuel for all. Even so, as long as time exists, your sin won't end."
What now? No options left.
'Escaping seems tough.'
His body still wasn't in great shape. Still, worth a shot.
"Going to struggle? Fine. Struggle. You'll taste the ugliest death and pain eternally anyway."
"Whatever the end, I have to try."
"Regretting it? You must be. Foolish worms always do."
"Regret means not choosing the same path if sent back to the past."
He lit a cigarette for now.
"In that sense, I don't regret it."
"Bluster."
"Even if I went back, I'd choose the same road."
"Even a meaningless death?"
"Meaningless? Didn't I save those suffering people?"
"They'll fill it again. More sinners than before, and this time, you'll join them."
"Even so, the people I saved won't vanish."
This might be his last cigarette in life.
"A worm full of bravado."
"If that's how you see it, nothing I can do."
As he tensed his legs to bolt from the cab—
—Hello, Karma Call Center Chief Director Chokang Daewang speaking.
He answered the phone.
＊＊＊
"Hold on, gotta take this call."
"......What?"
"Yeah, got it."
—Hello, you've called the Karma Call Center? Records show you used the dedicated phone—is that right?
"Yes."
He kept his guard up even as he answered. But something felt off.
—First off, thanks for using Karma Call Center services. We confirm your karma to inform you of your postmortem destination and judgment. Normally, proxy karma usage requires a 49-day waiting period for delegation, but since you're calling from the dedicated phone, we skip that—advance notice.
"I see. Nice and efficient."
He'd planned to flee while bracing for attack and keeping the call going, but the engineer just stood there blankly.
"......"
—We're swamped these days. Skipping non-essentials.
He seemed focused on the clear woman's voice from the receiver.
—Anyway, verbal consent only: Do you authorize proxy karma usage?
"Yes."
—Great. Checking your karma now. Name: Lee Seung-hoon, age 25, South Korea... and karma...
The woman with the refreshing voice, who'd introduced herself as Chokang Daewang, recited his karma items one by one.
—A bit of bad karma. Some violence-related. And hmm, puberty-era overzealous sexual exploration?
"I was at that age with rampant curiosity."
—Puberty safety nets it as non-bad karma, but you're an adult now—do it again and it's bad. Watch it going forward, got it? No victims, but that level of promiscuous curiosity is iffy.
"Yes, understood."
—Next, ah, this needs new ordinance check—hold on.
Rustling sounds came from the receiver as she rummaged through her desk.
—Found it! Per Cyber Space Disputes & New Bad Karma Ordinance, verbal crimes against others in cyberspace are now called "finger karma" instead of mouth karma.
"Hell conjures old-school images, but you're pretty modern."
"Times change, humans change—we adapt. Anyway, finger karma focuses on these four:
She explained the new laws of the changed world.
—One: Intentionally showing repulsive images to unspecified multitudes 3+ times: +100 bad karma points.
—Two: Intentionally showing repulsive descriptive text to unspecified multitudes 3+ times: +100 bad karma points.
—Three: Using debates with unspecified multitudes as excuse for mockery/taunting: +50 bad karma points.
—Four: Intentionally fabricating others' personal info or false stories to distress/torment them: +100 bad karma points.
He hadn't expected a brand-new clause just for internet communities—fascinating stuff.
—Higher bad karma points mean deeper, longer hells. Humans' real-world bad karma is bad, but online bad karma is no slouch. Can't manage that, and down to deep hells you go. Anyway, combining these four with your other 56 crimes... whoa, your log's a scroll-fest? You've racked up a ton?
"Doesn't make sense. I've never committed a single crime in any community."
—We'll see. Log's... insanely long? Just the bad karma points first.
Her shocked voice boomed from the receiver.
—Huh!? Bad karma points: 0!? No way!
"Like I said—no community crimes."
—No way! Even skimming, 'malicious community posts' number in the hundreds! Wait, huh? This...
She sounded like she'd spotted something.
—Only 5 days since contact!? And already connected? That's massive good karma piled up!
"Good karma speeds up call center connections?"
—Duh! Why rush telling bad-karma hoarders? Better to notify high-good-karma folks quick, ease their minds for peaceful lives.
"Pretty logical."
—For bad-karma piles, the anxious wait is punishment enough. Not official, though—no penalty points.
The engineer slowly, very slowly, backed away. Like he didn't want to be noticed.
—Now! What good karma you stacked...
"Why? What's up?"
—Huh? Wha? Latest good karma points: 2.672 million!? What category!?
Mouse wheel scrolling echoed from the receiver.
—Rescuing innocents suffering hellishly sans sin: 10k points each, 2672 rescued? Uh, Lee Seung-hoon? Been to hell lately?
"Not actual hell—provisional hell? Train-shaped one. I'm in it now. People burning in the furnace, so I saved 'em all."
—Train? Provisional hell? You're there now?
"Yeah."
The engineer, who'd been sneaking away, froze. Like he'd accepted his fate.
—Any soot-faced engineer there?
"Right in front of me."
—Can you hand it over? Please.
He approached the engineer and passed the phone.
"They want you."
"......"
As he took it, the woman's voice turned icy.
—Hey, Mara buddy? Appreciate the task force cooperation, but per reports, you've stirred up trouble?
"I—!"
—Quiet.
Her voice cut like a blade twisting his heart, chills flying.
—We collaborate professionally, but judgment domain? You're clear subcontractors. Arbitrarily detaining innocents for judgment—cool or not?
"But—!"
—We asked for quickie trials on light-sin humans for fast reincarnation. Reincarnation my ass—you crammed sinless beings into the cauldron?
"However—!"
—Gonna rant about humans as worms again? We know Desire Realm views 'em that way. Ancient history, though. How old's that mindset? Other Desire Realm folks adapted fine—you're stuck in dusty dogma?
"Let me speak—!"
—Hey, temp judge.
Hmm.
—Should I report to Dharmamegha Heavenly King? Sent staff smears Desire Realm's rep? Total clusterfuck on whims? 'Desire Realm that talentless?' One word from him, yeah? Dharmamegha'll love it.
This corporate life?
"Not that—!"
—Oops, sorry. Already did.
"What!?"
—Saw your good karma log, only spot for drama's there—hotlined Desire Realm ASAP.
Looked fun; he kinda wanted in.
—Contact in 10. Wait up.
Time to job hunt after bailing?